


Save Me

by GumbaBunny



Series: Sea Shenanigans [3]
Category: Dead by Daylight (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, Mermaid!Dwight, dwake - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:34:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25113223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GumbaBunny/pseuds/GumbaBunny
Summary: Jake is drowning in stressDwight lives in constant fearBoth meet at their lowestBoth find one another again during a hard timeBoth will be able to save one another
Relationships: Dwight Fairfield/Jake Park
Series: Sea Shenanigans [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1776802
Comments: 7
Kudos: 38





	1. Escape

One could say Jake lived a good life, and he did. He had nothing to worry about except himself. Bills, food, schooling, transportation, those were all overly taken care of. 

All he had to do was focus on school to please his father. The stress was awful. At 18 he entered Yale after studying nonstop for years, and he hated every minute of it. Even during summer, he had to be studying. 

He really could not handle stress well when it was like this. Who could? So Jake learned to make time for himself, and had little escapades where he was free and did whatever he wanted to. 

Most of these were at night, and lasted at most 5 hours, but anything was better than sleeping to be free of the stress for a while. Jake took to woodland stuff to do, like hiking. He would drive to the nearest woods and just sit in the middle of the forest to get away. 

While he didn’t have people he would consider friends, he did have “acquaintances”. People who stuck around him for the wealth he had. 

He knew he could never live up to anything his father demanded of him. His brother had accomplished so much compared to him, and had graduated with honors. 

There was nothing wrong about his brother, he tried to help him any time he could. Sometimes they even left on these mini-breaks together and would talk about anything unrelated to school. He loved his brother, even if a small part of him blamed him for the stress and pedestal he was placed on by his father. 

Jake was going to explode though. His brain was throbbing hard, and he slammed the pen down on his desk. He couldn’t take it, and really needed a break. When even was his last one? Almost a month ago? He stood up and went into his closet, grabbing his ready-to-go hikers backpack and leaving without a word. 

His house, if it was even that, was massive and well furnished. Jake learned he enjoyed simpler things instead of extravagant ones. He ran down to his car, which was brand new and perfect, and drove it to somewhere new. He needed to clear his head, and the woods helped with that, but he knew tonight it wouldn’t. 

Jake decided he would canoe. It was dangerous, even at night, but he was desperate to be alone and be somewhere that was almost no where. He parked and locked his car, slinging his bag on his back. Even if he didn’t need it, he enjoyed having it with him. 

Jake knew someone who owned a boat rental place. He would just pay them whatever later. Money had no meaning to him. He snuck around the back area and grabbed a canoe off of the wall it hung against. It fell down with a heavy thud, and Jake thought he broke it. It was fine though, so he sighed and dragged it towards the shore. 

While not the ocean, he was by a river that was just a few miles away from the ocean. Maybe he could take up scuba diving? That would be different. Before he slid the boat into the water, he grabbed the oars and tossed his backpack into the small canoe. 

This was probably a stupid idea. Actually, yes it was. Jake grabbed a rope before he left, and tied it to the dock. He wasn’t going to go that far, but really, he didn’t want to die or have to have the stress of getting back. 

Jake pushed off and used the ores to guide him as far at the rope allowed, which was less than a hundred feet. Jake looked up towards the stars and felt his worry melting off of him. 

He really needed this. Jake laid down in the canoe, using his bag as a pillow and staring at the twinkling dots. Yeah, he would totally do this again. All he could hear was the waves gently hitting his canoe, and feel the wind and slight tug on the rope. 

After that night, Jake favored canoeing over hiking. He took two breaks a month, then three when he hit 19. He taught himself how to canoe, building up the stamina and other skills through the months. 

Jake really despised parties or big social gatherings. His father only tells him these events once, because if he fought back he would be punished. Honestly, Jake was thinking of running away soon. His breaks taunted him with tiny grasps of what true freedom felt like, and Jake was addicted. 

After he turned 19, he paddled to the ocean. It was the night after his birthday, and Jake was going to leave for good. He had packed money, food, supplies, everything. He was going to go. He was. 

Jake had slowly paddled towards the shoreline, when his boat suddenly rocked. He looked around, trying to find what it was. He sword he saw a hand, and peered over the edges of his canoe. Nothing but black, calm water. 

He was going insane. This was his mind telling him not to leave. The stress would be over once he graduated. He could make it. Jake closed his eyes and gripped the paddles. He could last 2 more years, right? Then just get a job. He would he set for life. 

Before he could think, his boat rocked again. Jake snapped his eyes open and saw a man gripping onto the side of his boat, looking distressed. He blinked, trying to see if he was crazy. No. They were real. He had short dark hair, and a slightly round face. Jake was sure glasses would fit nicely on that face. 

“Please.” The man said, voice straining in pure fear. “Help me!” Curious, he nodded and leaned over to help pull a possibly drowning man in. Instead, the stranger pulled away and went under. 

Jake looked over the edge, but saw nothing. What? Was he drowning? He was not out of breath or struggl- 

HOOOONK!

Jake felt his heart leap out of his chest, as a huge fishing boat appeared and shined a spotlight on him. He held his hand up to block the light, and glared at the boat shape. It slowly stopped beside him. 

“What are you doin’ here at midnight, boy?” An old voice spoke from the boat. Jake sighed, so many things were happening. “Runnin’ away from home.” He answered truthfully. “Nothing on me but a backpack full of food and my canoe.” He didn’t want to be robbed, though.

Plus; what was the man doing? Oh wait was he-

“Boy! Have you seen anything out here?” “No! I swear on it. I’m just tryin to leave home and stare anew!” Jake snapped a reply. The man he couldn’t see was agitated, he could tell, but left soon after, searching the waters. 

How and the hell did he run into a mermaid? Mythical creatures were very rare in the wild, since most people hunted them for sport or to sell for money and kept as trophy’s. Great. Just what he needed. 

He hoped his canoe was cover, and it was gone now, so he stuck an ore in and got one push before a head popped up. “Thank you so much!! You wouldn’t believe how grateful I am.” 

Jake stared at him before rolling his eyes. “Ok. You’re good now. Bye.” He wanted to get out of this state. Maybe country. Just be alone. The merman was still there, staring at him with a nervous expression. 

“I-i uh, I am stuck. In a net.” He said, clearly embarrassed. “If you help me again, I’ll give you a charm, though!”

Jake would have done it for free if it meant it left faster. “I don’t need a charm.” He could probably buy one. Actually, that wasn’t a bad idea. Were there charms for stress? Jake grabbed his pack and pulled out a knife. 

He had seen many mythical beings before, albeit not this close. Merpeople were not rare, but not common in the creature ranking. “I’ll give you one anyway.” It said, moving to float on the surface, but seemed hesitant. 

“If you think I’m going to kidnap you, think again.” Jake leaned over and began to cut the netting off of the merman’s tail. “Even if I wanted to, how would I hold you down? Or get you to shore without this thing falling over? You have a brain. Use it.” Jake wasn’t in the mood to be nice, so he was blunt. 

He tried to not touch the creature at all, but had to at some parts of the net. Jake hadn’t expected them to be warm. He pulled the net off when he was done, and half expected the thing to bolt. Instead, it got a piece of the net and a shell- Jake didn’t want to know where that came from, and quickly made a necklace out of it. 

“I said I didn’t need one.” Jake grabbed an ore to paddle away, but it grabbed his boat. “Just take it. If you dont need it then sell it. I don’t care.” He tossed the necklace into the canoe, and left with one small wake in the ocean. 

Jake stared at the necklace and sighed. What was the worst that could happen? He grabbed the hastily made necklace and slipped it on, somehow it fit perfectly. He also felt something very tight around his heart suddenly vanish. 

He felt so relaxed, and not worried about anything. Jake looked down at his hands and moved them, absolutely amazed. He felt like he was in another body. Was this even him? Was he Jake?

He took off the necklace, and regretted it instantly as that feeling came smashing back like a wave. The worry of failing his father, failing school, studying non stop, everything came back. Jake put it back on in a heart beat and sighed. 

He was definitely keeping this. Jake looked out at the shore he had been paddling to. 2 more years. He could do it. Jake paddled back to where he had been borrowing the canoe from for a year now (and paying), and docked it. Jake went to his car he thought he would never see again and drove back home, for once in his life not feeling dread. 

That merman really saved him from torture. Had it really been this simple? He could have done this years ago. What else could charms do?

Jake pulled up home and stared at it before getting out. He had never known what he wanted in life. He had everything, but couldn’t do anything. Something inside him was interested at what happened. 

Maybe he could be a mythical creature tamer? Or something to do with them. Jake spent that night reading and researching. Creatures like unicorns were common, so common they were almost like rats in cities. 

Captive creatures held less magic, but ones that were common like unicorns, which were wild, held almost no magic. He wondered what dictated magic levels, but no articles showed up for that. 

As he read for every creature, he realized that basically all were used for wealth and showing off. Jake hadn’t given any of his fathers creatures a second glance. They had a “pristine pegasus”, a Cerberus that was trained and guarded their home, a Chimeria which had its own room and yard space, but could never leave, and a Sphinx, which sat chained in a room Jake was never allowed to enter. He vaguely remembered his father telling him that it was extremely valuable. 

Jake sighed and closed his laptop before laying down and looking at his new necklace. This was- it was not fair. These creatures were being used and abused for magic, and he had never noticed. Jake finally had a goal set in his mind. He was going to try to help as many creatures as he could.

He couldn’t start until after school. Jake had tried to set the Chimera free, but it was aggressive towards him and he couldn’t risk being killed. He would have to start small, which he couldn’t do until he graduated. 

With way less stress off of his chest, and a goal in mind, Jake studied better than before and got better grades on tests. He was proud of himself for once, but his fathers attitude never changed. “You’re still bad.” Or “you need to continue improving.” Or “why are you proud of that? You should have been getting those grades long ago!”

His charm never allowed him to feel those painful emotions, and he googled what kind it was. Apparently, it was mid-level magic for warding off dangerous emotions. He wondered what compelled the merman to choose this one out of the hundreds of others. He was just glad it wasn’t wealth or good luck or something similar. 

Jake graduated when he was 22 with B’s and C’s, not bad but not amazing. His father threw a party, that he hated, but acted like he enjoyed it. When it was over, he snuck down to the Chimera’s cage. Through the years he visited when he could, and it was alright with him by now, but he knew he couldn’t just open the door and let it free. 

He walked inside and sat down instantly to pose no threat. The lion snarled at him before slowly stalking over. The snake tail stared at him, smelling the air. None of the three heads smelled fear, anxiety, or threat coming off of him. 

“I want to get you out of here. Tonight.” He told the creature, not knowing if it understood him. It didn’t react to his words. Jake slowly stood up. “Will you promise to follow me? I will get you far enough away where you can escape the rest of the way on your own.”

The lion head blinked slowly at him, before bowing suddenly. It stretched out his neck, and Jake saw a collar. He walked over very slowly, trying not to startle or scare it somehow, and unhooking the lock. Jake didn’t pull it off, and backed away as the beast shook its body, free of its shackle. 

“I don’t know if you can understand me, but the moment we leave you have to be quiet and stealthy. If you go and start destroying stuff in rage I can’t help you.” Jake tried to explain it to the creature. He was positive it didn’t understand a word he said. 

He was sure his anxiety would be bad right now. Jake was glad he couldn’t feel nervous, so he opened the door and walked out, holding it open for the creature, and watching as it stared at Jake as it slowly exited. 

He held his breath, terrified it would maul him and run, but to his surprise it didn’t. He closed the door and walked quietly towards the edge of their property, Chimera close behind. He could hardly hear it, actually. Jake weaved through the shadows, still tired from his earlier party, but determined. 

The creature stayed close by him, the lion head staring at him while the other two looked around for any danger. At the edge of the property where trees began, he stopped and hid behind a tree. “Alright. Get away as far as you can.” 

The Chimera brushed its head against him, and as it left, the snake did the same. He guessed it was a ‘thank you’ as it ran away. Jake felt an emotion he couldn’t pinpoint, but guessed it was something akin to being proud. 

He walked back, glancing at his house. He knew exactly where all cameras were, and had dodged most of them after the first escape. Jake walked to the control room, peaking in to see workers staring at him. 

Jake had already told them what was going to happen. “Are they deleted?” The small team nodded, and Jake paid them whatever amount they asked for, which was around one thousand dollars, and left to go finally sleep. 

This was definitely something he wanted to do for the rest of his life: saving creatures. He flopped on his bed and wiggled off his dress shoes and nice clothes. Jake reached up and held the shell charm gently. It was because of that merman that he was here, and honestly he was glad for that. 


	2. Auction

Jake had spent the next few years slowly saving any creature he could. Sometimes in the wild, and sometimes in auctions. One of the first creatures he saved had been an old dragon in his father’s friends’ house. He had really risked it, but the dragon had magic Jake could hardly understand. 

The dragon was black, and it said it was as old as time and spoke in his brain. It weirded him out a lot, but he had saved a DRAGON. One of the rarest and most powerful creatures. Jake struck a deal with it for saving it. 

The dragon would create a safe heaven for creatures where no humans could enter. The dragon that called itself The Entity laughed at the idea, but agreed. Jake was smug after he saw the dragon actually consider and like the idea. 

It despised humans, even before it was captured. It told Jake, and only him, how to find his way to the many entrances around the world to get into this safe heaven. Jake had no idea how a dragon’s magic worked, but it was on a level that he could not comprehend. 

The Entity told him he had to follow the fog. Jake used this strange wording to bring creatures to a nearby forest, the one he hiked in a lot, and told them the same. After a few years, he couldn’t count how many creatures he brought to that forest, but he never saw them again. 

He never passed that magical barrier he always seemed to find, though. Jake had his backpack on, and was running through the trees. Inside were a dozen pixies he had bought at an auction. Jake saw that black fog ahead and gently set the backpack down and opened it. 

“The fog should guide you to a safe place.” Jake always said this, and he could never get used to the feeling of seeing these creatures look thankful before going into the fog. He knew word spread about this place, because some of the creatures that could talk told him they had heard rumors. There were other fogs around the world, possibly guiding to the same place. 

He zipped his bag back up when he saw the small pixies vanish into the black fog, smiling and laughing. He walked back to his car and sat in the drivers seat, sighing softly. People had begun to notice a sharp decline in magical beings, but had no answers. The prices for even the most common things were rising. 

Jake knew he couldn’t save them all, even if he had all the money in the world, but he would try. He drove home and walked inside his mansion. Sadly, he could not save the Ceberus or Sphinx. After the Chimera, everything was heavily guarded, and suspicion would be placed on Jake if another one of their creatures vanished. 

His father was getting suspicious, though. 

“What are you doing with all of that money?” His father had asked. 

“Why do you care what I do?” Jake crossed his arms. “I have a well paying job.”

He had gotten a job as a veterinarian for magical beings, having studied for that very job for a long while. Any time their three creatures were acting off or sick, he was assigned to check on them. 

Jake and his brother still lived under his fathers roof, but could afford to leave easily. It was their father’s own persistence to stay, for some reason. 

He couldn’t let any of the creatures in his care escape, but he told them about the fog. Jake guessed that’s how the word spread. One day, he wanted to go through to see what was beyond that strange fog, if he was even allowed to. 

Jake rarely found a beast in the wild, but if he did he would guide them towards where he knew the fog was. Most were small and weaker ones, like Jackalopes or fae’s. 

He was eating a pancake at 7 am while scrolling through his phone when he got a notification from one of those ‘ acquaintances’ telling him about a cool auction. Jake always felt sick seeing all of those creatures trapped, their fate to be sold and used. 

He clicked on the text from the friend named David King. 

(7:13) David King:

Yo dude there’s an epic auction happening a few hours away! Gonna have a damn kelpie, like 7 merpeople, and a peryton! That’s just what I glanced over dude! Can we go?

(7:15) Jake Park:

Fine.

He had never gone with someone before, so whatever he bought he would have to keep. Jake didn’t want to buy one just to lock it in this mansion, but they could go to a worse place when bought. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. 

(7:16) David King:

It starts at 12 today. Ill pick u up at 8

Jake didn’t reply and sighed, finishing his breakfast and putting the plate in the sink. He went upstairs and threw on a fancy casual shirt, pants, and shoes. He fixed his necklace and ran a hand through his hair again, sighing. 

Loud honking came from outside, and Jake walked downstairs while shoving his phone and wallet in his pockets and hopping into David’s truck. “You could have just texted me you were here.”

“Not as fun to do.” David chuckled and drove off, merging onto the highway to go to this ‘awesome’ auction. Jake looked out of the window and stared out, bored. David knew better than to try to start a conversation with Jake, because he would either hardly talk or just stare at him. 

He was an odd one, that was for sure, and no matter what he did he could not get close to the guy. Jake slid in his earbuds and listened to his own music as he looked out of the window, unknowingly fiddling with the shell necklace. 

David sighed to himself and focused on the road, listening to his own music. They had stopped midway for a break and snacks. Jake bought David a snickers and Mountain Dew while he got himself a chocolate granola bar. 

“Thanks.” David said when he got out of the bathroom, to see Jake thrusting the items he got into his hands. He knew this was a good sign from Jake, and smiled. “Did ya not want a drink? I can get ya something.” 

“I’m fine. Thank you.” Jake walked back to his truck with no other words, opening the packaging and eating the granola. David paid for his gas and hopped into the truck. Jake was already back in whatever shell he was in. He hardly got the man to come out of it. 

David took off for the auction place. He knew both of them could have afforded a plane easily, but he learned Jake was always in bad moods when they did anything expensive. Plus, it was nice to get quiet time like this. 

Jake hopped out of the truck the moment it was stopped. He stretched and fixed his clothes, mentally hating his attire before walking towards the loud building this was hosted in. David had to run to catch up to him, and walked at a brisk pace. “There’s a lotta people here, huh?”

“Mhm.” Jake hummed, almost drowned out by the talking of the crowd ahead. Jake looked around and a worker suddenly appeared in front of them and handed each a pamphlet. “Hello, and welcome! These here are maps of where each creature is being held, plus the times the auctions will start for every one of them! Enjoy!” And was already off to say the same thing to another person. 

He flipped through it until he found the map and grimaced. There were a lot more creatures here than he guessed. He could attempt to save one, maybe two.. They wouldn’t be hurt at his place or abused, but they wouldn’t be free either. 

Jake ran a hand through his hair and looked at David. The bigger man already knew what that look meant. “Okay- okay.” He whapped the back of Jake’s head with the pamphlet. “I’ll walk us around, you weenie.” This got a glare from him, but he knew it was light hearted. 

David decided to go around clockwise, starting with the more common creatures. He wanted to get something epic and small, so he could carry around a trained guardian pet at all times or something. “What will you get?”

That seemed to be a wrong question, and Jake glared at him for real this time. “I’ll meet up with you later.” And turned right, vanishing into the crowd. David had no idea what he did wrong. 

To Jake though, he sounded like he was in a candy store with food options instead of actual creatures that were suffering. Like they were nothing but objects. Jake looked at his map again, trying to take his mind off of the anger inside, when he suddenly froze. 

Something was staring at him. People around him, all dressed nicely, glanced at his odd behavior. He looked around but didn’t see any humans staring at him. Was it David? Jake moved his eyes just slightly to the right, and locked eyes with someone familiar. 

The merman he met years ago was in a watery tube, spaced out were others, but he could clearly see him. 

Fuck. 

Jake closed the map and inhaled slowly. How, out of all the times, and of all the places, he would see that merman again? Jake walked over calmly and slowly. There were other people admiring each creature, discussing if they should buy it, as though they were things without feelings. 

Jake stayed a few feet away, staying a bit closer to another enclosed merperson cage to not draw suspicion. Female onea were highly sought after, and there were only two males. 

God. Was he seriously going to buy him? It made him feel sick, but he could explain it later to him, right? Honestly, every creature looked depressed. The perytons had been laying down, chained to the ground, and looked like they wanted to die. The merpeople were all sitting on the floor, tails coiled, and staring at anything but the humans. 

The one he met was hunched over and looked depressed, but when it saw Jake it seemed to get hope. Yeah, ok. He had to buy him now. He felt awful, and would never forgive himself if he didn’t do anything for them. 

Suddenly an arm was slung around his shoulders. “Have an eye for a mermaid?” David said teasingly. 

“No.” Jake looked at him and moved away. “Well, I saw ya lookin’ at that merman over there.” David motioned over to the one he had been staring at. 

“And?” He shrugged, looking away. “Well, he’s kinda cute. If ya aren’t gonna buy him, I think I will!”

Jake glared at him hard. “Like hell.”

“Hah! I knew it. Alright we found one you want. Can you help me find something? I want to get something I can carry around everywhere.”

Jake stared at him before sighing. “Fine. I think I saw some smaller ones over here..” He walked away, but glanced back. The merman was still staring at him, and he could tell his hope was faltering. 

David followed the smaller to an area full of pixies, fae’s, and other small beings. One caught his eye, and he moved over to the cage, which was a glass cube that had a few breathing holes. 

Inside, was a cactus cat. While semi-rare, they were not sought after often. “You’re going to get that, aren’t you?”

David stared at the bright green eyes of the cat and nodded. “Yep I am.” He crouched beside the pedestal to get level with it and put his hand to one of the breathing holes. 

It hissed, and the spines shot up. David took a step back and smiled. “It’s just a normal cat that’s like, half cactus, right?”

“How are you going to.. nevermind.” Jake sighed. “You want it so.. get it.” He crossed his arms and stared at the green cat. Jake knew David would absolutely take great care of this creature. He anxiously checked the time to see it was 11:40. He looked at the time sheets on the pamphlet, mentally noting the Merpeople started at 12:30. It always started at the least wanted creatures, and moved up to more desirable. This cat, the pixies, and fae’s would be starting first. 

David and Jake hung around the area until 12, when a guy in a suit and headphones began to talk to the nearby crowd, asking for bids on the smaller creatures. Almost no one cared about them, and only 3 were bought. 

When he got to the cat, David was the only bidder. He got it for the base price and was over the moon. Jake mentally sighed as he had another hour before he would attempt to save the merman. 

Could he even do it? Should he just make David drive to the ocean? No, no. The fog. How would he even get him there? Jake ran a hand through his hair and looked back at David to see him opening the cage. 

“What the fu-“

The cat instantly bolted out, but David grabbed it, ignoring the quills, and hooking on a collar and leash he got from the auction as well. The cat was hissing and pulling on the leash. Jake took a step back, and everyone began to avoid the two by walking around them. 

“You’re an idiot. If that thing gets loose you are paying for whatever damages it does.” Jake glared at him and walked towards the merpeople area. There were more people around here, but not much more. 

Jake leaned against a nearby wall and got on his phone, researching Merpeople again while he was here. Almost none had any magical ability due to the mysterious magic incident, which was the more common or more of them that were in captivity, the weaker they got. 

Dragons were extremely rare, only around one thousand, while there were probably millions of pixies. Unicorns used to be as rare as dragons, until people kept breeding them. Slowly, they lost that magical power that no one could understand. 

He looked up at the other mermaids, seeing them slouched and depressed. Jake wished he could help somehow, but he couldn’t. He could only hope they got to better homes. 

Jake locked eyes with the merman he met before, and felt something very strong latch onto him. 

_ Hello? _

Oh fuck. Something was in his head. Jake looked around but didn’t see anyone that could have said it, plus it didn’t come from around him. 

_ You remember me, right? I’m uh, the - yeah! _

Jake had looked right back at the merman to see him smiling weakly. Of course he remembered him. 

_ Yeah I do. He thought to the merman, thinking it could work both ways. Why are you in my head?  _

_ Sorry- I really didn’t want to but I’m just terrified, and I saw you. _

_ Well, I’m trying to be discreet here. I’m gonna buy you but I’m not sure if I can free you. _

_ Why? _

Jake closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, sighing softly. He had an hour or so to kill, and David was sitting down trying to get the cat to like him. 

_ My father is the source of most of my money. If I buy you, and return without you, he will get suspicious of me.  _

It was silent for a long time. Jake opened his eyes and looked down at David, who was now gently stroking the cat’s back. Jake looked at the time. Ten minutes till. 

_ I’m glad I got to see you, at least one last time. _

Jake looked back at the merman before looking away again. 

_ Why’s that? _

_ I always wondered what happened to you, or what you did with the charm. _

Jake instinctively touched his charm and rolled it in his fingers. This had really saved his life. Technically he saved the other’s life, but he felt like he owed the merman more. 

_ What’s your name?  _ The merman asked him.

_ Jake.  _

_ Just Jake? _

He snorted to himself, gaining the attention of David. The other man looked at him confused, as Jake hardly smiled or laughed. “What is it?” David asked, cocking an eyebrow. “Stupid rich people.” Jake said calmly and looked away again. He never wanted to be associated with the last name of ‘park’, yet here he was. 

_ Yes. Just Jake. And what’s yours? _

_ Fine, fine. I’m Dwight.  _

It was such a... weird and causal name. Like a name he would hear from a random dude who was into computers or something, not from a magical merman. 

_ Well, Dwight, I’m gonna help you as best as I can. I can’t buy two of you, so I’m sorry if you have a friend.  _

_ I’m alright- uh, I mean, I.. no one will worry about me.  _

Jake looked at the merman across the room to see him staring at the ground, clearly sad. He knew from reading that merpeople were very social creatures, so hearing this made Jake want to help him even more. 

The announcer suddenly spoke through their speaker. “Alright ladies and gentlemen! We are going to start off with the males we have~! The fi-“ Jake tuned them out and walked closer, weaving through the crowd. 

He was determined to buy Dwight. The first was bought in a few minutes. Dwight was next. “And here we have an average one, not too special but not bad! He has a very nice tail, and is very weak!”

Jake wanted to punch the announcers face. Why do they always diss the creatures? He could tell this really hurt Dwight, though. 

“Anyone want to try for 10,000,” he looked around, and Jake tossed his pamphlet up slightly nonchalantly. “10,000! Anyone want to go for 10,100?” Someone else bid. Jake looked over to see an old dude. 

“10,500?” That was a hell of a price raise. Jake didn’t care though. He had a lot of money to spend. He flicked his pamphlet again and nodded, agreeing to the new price. 

He and the old dude bid for a few minutes until it was 26,000. The old guy finally chickened out, and Jake heard the Sold, Sold, Sold. He pushed off the wall and secretly flipped off the old dude before walking over to the lady beside the announcer. 

She was finishing up with the precious guy’s transaction, and smiled to him when he came up. Jake glanced at ‘his’ new merman, and saw he seemed really glad. 

He ran a hand through his hair, mentally tallying up how much he would have to spend for an enclosure. Well, he never bought anything with his fathers money until now, so might as well go all out. 

The first guy left and went over to the merman he bought. Jake hummed at the lady. “How are you today?” He already knew she had to deal with such rude and powerful people all the time, so might as well make her day a bit better. 

She smiled softly. “I’m doing well, thank you for asking.” She held out a scanner, and he took out a credit card and let her scan it. “That’ll be 28,000, with tax.” Jake mentally sighed and signed the papers. He read that some other things came with the merman, but didn’t get to check what. 

“Thank you.” He smiled at her softly before leaving. Part of the tax was moving the merman’s tube into their car, or transporting it. He followed the workers who used a forklift to slightly lift it up, before driving off. Jake told them what truck as David ran to catch up to him. 

He hardly acknowledged his acquaintance, instead going right for his truck. David was carrying the cat carefully in his arms. “Jake! Jesus, you walk so fast.” He said when he caught up and walked beside him. 

“I am excited.” Jake said with a flat tone and stoic look. David gave him a confused look before humming. “About that cute merman?”

Jake didn’t reply in any way, and saw the workers already putting the tank into the back of his truck. They had to pour out nearly half of the water because it weighed too much. This made Jake grimace, but he said nothing. 

He tipped them as they left, since they did handle Dwight well and careful. David set his cat into the back, and it instantly darted under the seat and curled up. Jake sat in the passenger seat and buckled, already preparing for Dwight to talk to him. 

_ Where are we going? _

Jake looked out of the window as they left. “Be careful when turning. If you hurt him I will hurt you.” He told David. 

_ To my home. I don’t actually have anything built to comfortably hold you yet, so is a salt water swimming pool fine with you? _

_ Uhm, yes. Sure. It’s really uncomfortable back here- ow! _

David turned, and Jake heard the tank slide and hit the side. “David!”

“Jesus, sorry!” He huffed angrily and stared out at the road. Jake sighed and put in his earbuds, listening to music to calm himself down. 

_ This is really nice music. _

Jake closed his eyes and rested his head on his palm. 

_ Glad you like it, because we will be driving for a while. Think you can sleep? _

They were on the highway now, which meant far less turns or slowing down. Jake could already feel himself nodding off, but he could easily wake himself up, too. 

_ I-i can try.  _

Even if it was a voice in his mind, he could hear how scared and worried the merman was. Jake couldn’t imagine- being hunted, captured, trapped, and sold going to an unknown place. 

Before he knew it Jake was asleep against the window. He woke up when they were half way back to something heavy on his lap, and feeling someone staring at him. 

Jake sat up slowly and looked at the road, then David, to see his friend staring at him with wide eyes. 

“Uh..?” He looked down to see the cactus cat curled up in his lap, asleep. Oh. Jake slowly turned around and looked out of the back window to see Dwight asleep. Alright, good. 

He reached down and very gently pet it’s forehead. It woke up and instantly hissed, so Jake stopped and looked out of the window again, setting his hands far away from the being. 

Jake was hungry, but said nothing. They couldn’t exactly stop anywhere, since they had two mystical beings with them. Anything could happen. The cat could escape, or someone could try to rob them. 

He leaned his head against the window again and closed his eyes, letting sleep take him once more. He woke up to David shaking him lightly. Jake yawned and stretched, rubbing his face. “Thanks.” He mummered and looked around for the cat before hopping out. 

His legs felt wobbly, so he stood there for a moment before walking over to Dwight. He looked sick. The merman had only half a tank full of old, unclean water. He was most likely dehydrated, struggling to breath, and baking in the sunlight. 

“How are we gonna get him to your pool?”

Jake stared at David before looking back at the merman. “Didn’t think about that.” He unhinged the back of the truck and hopped up. This did not wake the merman. “Go unlock the gate to the backyard.”

David stared at Jake, eyeing him up and down, trying to piece together how he would get a merman to the backyard. “Alrighty. If you need me just hollar.” David walked off without another question. 

Jake went to the top of the tube and mentally sighed. He unlocked it and opened it, making the remaining water leak out. 

Yeah this was stupid, but there was no way he was hauling the tube. Jake reached in and grabbed the merman and slid him out. This time, he muttered something but stayed knocked out. 

Jake hopped down and turned around before pulling the rest of the merman out, and held his arms over his shoulders to walk him to the backyard. 

‘Holy fuck.’ Jake thought, repositioning the creature. ‘He is heavy as hell.’ The Asian-American walked quickly to the fence, to see David laughing his butt off, but held the gate open. The pool wasn’t too far from the gate, which was good. 

It worried him the merman didn’t wake up though, and instead was making pained whimpers. David picked up the tail end, which lifted a lot of weight off of Jake, and helped him get to the pool.

It was absurdly big and lavish, with lights rocks and tiles. It just screamed fancy. Jake crouched at the edge, and David set the tail into the water. Without thinking, he pushed Jake into the water, sending the rest of the merman under as well as Jake. 

“What the hell!?” Jake resurfaced and coughed up some water from the unexpected ‘joke’. 

“Well, we have a merman. I also wanna still hang out with you so I’m gonna swim. Ima get my cat though first so hold on!” Before Jake could yell at him, David left.

He climbed out, his clothes sticking to him instantly. A worker came out quickly with a towel, and he took it with a thanks. “If you don’t mind can you get me some swimwear?” The worker nodded and left. 

He had butlers and maids all of his life, this wasn’t new to him. He did feel bad for using them though, even if they got paid for the work they did. He took off his shirt and glanced into the pool to see the Merman have some color back into him, but was hardly moving at the bottom of the pool. 

He wasn’t unfamiliar with merpeople, and in fact treated them often at work. Jake would have to check over his vitals to he sure, but he had a feeling it was just being contained so long in dirty stagnant water, then a bumpy car ride with little of it. 

The worker came back out, and he thanked them with a tip. Jake walked to a changing room nearby, because his father HAD to install like, five of them for when a pool party happened. He quickly changed and ran a hang through his wet hair. 

Jake left to see David leashing the cat somewhere secure and petting it before making a run for the pool, now wearing only boxers. He cannonballed into the pool and surfaced laughing. 

He walked into the pool from some nearby steps and silently took a deep breath before diving under towards Dwight, and scooping him up once more. It sickened him how limp he still was. 

He wrapped one arm around his middle and swam awkwardly to the shallower end. 

“What are ya doin’?” David asked, swimming over. 

Jake looked up at him for a moment before sitting down on the steps. “Looking him over. He is unwell.” Jake stared at his face. He was conscious now, but his eyes were unfocused. He put his fingers on his pulse on his neck, just under the gills. It was slow, but strong. Alright, good. 

He kept Dwight under the water but held him up close to the surface, running his hand down his tail to check for any injuries. It pissed him off to no end to see recent rope burn along his scales. Jake checked his fins protruding from the tail to find two of the five bent out of place, but his main fin was healthy. 

Jake gently set Dwight on the shallow floor and got out to go get his medial supplies, but found the worker from before had already gotten them. 

“I-i uh, noticed he was-“

“Thanks.” Jake cut him off. He went over to his wet clothes and pulled out a soaking wet bill and gave it to him. “Sorry its wet.” He didn’t even see what bill he grabbed, but it was most likely a 100$ one as he never had one’s on him. 

Jake took his medkit full of basic supplies and set it at the edge of the pool. He glanced up at David to see him floating in the middle. 

He got back in and pulled Dwight up, mentally noting how he reacted a lot stronger this time by flinching weakly. Jake sat down at a ledge underwater to keep Dwight under, but him above as he worked on the broken fins. 

Jake dug through the kit to find stilts and water proof bandages to hold them in place. He worked on each of them while checking up on Dwight’s consciousness. He fixated the first fin into the right position, and as he thought, the pain snapped him awake instantly. 

“Ow!” It was muffled underwater, but undeniable as to what he said. 

“Stay still.” Jake held his tail firmly with one hand and held the fractured fin in place with the other. Dwight looked around, panicking, before slowly giving into the man. He stayed still as Jake wrapped the bandages around to hold the stilts in place for both fins. 

When he was done, Dwight guided himself carefully to the deepest and darkest spot of the pool, using his tail as little as possible, and curling into a ball. 

Jake couldn’t blame him. He felt awful, but honestly he already knew how people treated his kind. He got merpeople too often to know they were heavily mistreated, like goldfish. Little kids, mainly girls, always want mermaids or mermen, but quickly get bored as they are high maintenance and responsibility. 

Jake closed his supplies and swam silently over to David and dunked him, making the other choke on water. He couldn’t help but smirk when he saw David resurface, coughing and wheezing. 

“Okay! I deserved that.”

“You did.” Jake agreed. He grabbed a nearby pool noodle and held onto it to help him float and looked over at David. 

“What should I name my cat?”

“How would I know?” Jake huffed a bit. He was not good with names. 

_ It’s name is Kiotun.  _ Dwight told him.

Jake looked underneath him to Dwight, but his form was blurry from the waves. “Well..” He looked at David. Telling David its name wouldn’t work, so he swam as close as he could to the cat and hopped out. There wasn’t any way for the cat to escape out the backyard unless it climbed the fence, so he slowly approached it. 

Jake sat down in front of it and held out his hand, trying to ignore the fact he was dripping and pooling water everywhere. The cat reached over and slowly sniffed him. 

“Kiotun, may I unleash you?” The cactus cat sat up proudly at the respect it was getting and turned its head to the side for Jake. 

“Thank you.” He used one hand and unlatched the leash. “We will not hurt you. Are you hungry?”

The beast blinked at him before slowly nodding once. It brushed up against his hand, careful of his spines. “Alright. I’ll get us all some food. Hang tight.” He pat its head and stood up to see the worker from before with three other people already leaving, presumably to get food for the four of them. 

He sat at the edge of the pool and sunk his feet in, staring at David who was in awe. “Wh- how does the cat like you?”

“It’s called respect, dumbass.” Jake crossed his arms as Kiotun trotted up beside him and sat next to him, looking smug down at David. 

David huffed and looked away. “Is that it?”

“Yes. Try it. Her name is Kiotun.”

“What? The hell? Did you name my cat for me?”

“No. She named herself.”

David decided not to question Jake further and swam over. He suddenly felt a hand grab his ankle and he was yanked in once more by David. Jake swam down and away before popping up, coughing softly. “I hate you.”

“If you really did you’d never speak to me.” David stuck his tongue out at Jake and turned to his cat. Jake grabbed onto an edge and rested his head on it. 

Did the workers even know what cactus cats eat? Or merpeople? Most likely.. Jake couldn’t help but worry, though. 

He felt something beside him and looked over to see Dwight poking his head above the surface beside him, looking a lot better than before. Jake just gave him a longer blink than normal before turning his attention back to nothing. 

The merman said nothing, but stayed beside him, occasionally moving around but not doing much. They did this until the workers returned with food. Two sandwiches, and lots of fish. Like, a lot. Jake could smell it from here, and it made his stomach churn. However, he heard the merman’s stomach growl. 

“Come on.” Jake swam over towards where the food was and hopped out to sit on the edge. A plate of fish was sat down for the cactus cat, while another plate was handed to Jake. 

He gave it to Dwight, who just tilted the plate to let all the dead fish into the water and dove after them. Jake chuckled to himself over how silly it looked, but he wondered how hungry Dwight was. Did they even feed them?

The cat was swallowing the fish whole while growling the entire time. David was inhaling his sandwich. Jake dried off his hands and began to eat as he watched the blurry form of Dwight greedily grab the fish and eat every ounce of meat they offered. 

David and Kiotun finished first, almost like a race. The cat began to trot around the area, exploring the space it was offered. David watched it. Dwight finished next and put all the bones in a pile on the edge beside Jake, who was half way done with his sandwich. 

The merman smiled up at him with such an innocent look it almost hurt. “Thank you.” Jake took another bite and stared at him, shrugging. “Are you still hungry?”

He got a small, shy nod. Jake took another bite before offering the merman his sandwich. “I know you’re not used to human food, but just hold it like I am and eat it in bites.”

Dwight stared at it before backing away. “That’s your food though.”

“And I’m offering you my food. Take it.”

Dwight opened and closed his mouth to try to say something, his eyes flicking between Jake and the sandwich, before finally giving in. Instead of grabbing it. He took a bite from Jake’s hand. 

Jake rolled his eyes but kept the sandwich outstretched for the merman to eat out of. He was glad Dwight was feeling better, since he was really worried he was deathly ill earlier. 

_ You were worried about me? _

He felt his face heat up but turned away to hide it. Could it read his thoughts? That was a bit disturbing to him. 

_ Only when I’m near you!! I swear it doesnt work long range! I can’t turn it off though.. _

Jake looked back down to see the merman taking other bite of his sandwich. It must be some kind of curse then? To hear the thoughts of everyone around him all of the time? Wait, wasn’t he captive in the building for hours, if not days?

It explained everything though. Why Dwight was alone and not in a pod, why he said he had no friends, what the cactus cat’s name was, and how he knew the perfect charm to give him.

_ That sucks.  _

Dwight grabbed the rest of the sandwich, since it was only two more bites, and ate the rest happily, now full. 

_ I think I can be happy here. It isnt as good as the ocean but I don’t have to worry about food or being captured. _

‘And company.’ Jake thought to himself, pushing off and slipping back into the pool. He had been dry, and now the pool was ice cold. 

“Jake!” David shouted. He turned his head just in time to be smacked in the face by a pool noodle. “..thanks.” Jake grabbed the noodle and sat on it to awkwardly float with minimal effort. 

David swam over to the other two. “Do merpeople speak?”

Jake gave him a look of ‘what the hell?’ “Yes but they typically don’t like humans.”

“..oh.” David looked away. Jake wondered what he was thinking, and if Dwight knew he was a strange, but good person at heart. Jake grabbed his noodle and moved one end towards David, and blew through it, shooting water all over his face. 

David stuck his hands up to block some of the water, but was unsuccessful. Jake let himself smile a bit from David’s reaction. He looked over to Dwight to see him hiding behind Jake, putting himself between him and David. 

He suddenly moved away, and before Jake could react David lunged at Jake and tackled him into the water, making the pool noodle go somewhere else. Jake angrily kicked him off and swam up, moving his hair off of his face. “Asshole! Stop half drowning me.”

“So you want me to fully drown you?”

Jake felt himself laugh at that. “No.” He laid on his back, too lazy to get the noodle that was now across the entire pool. 

“I’m gonna go.” David said a few minutes later. Jake waved his hand lazily at him, refusing to get out of the pool. “Bye!” David tried again. Jake didn’t react this time. 

“I’ll text you later.” David grumbled and gently attached the leash to his cat and left. Jake still didn’t open his eyes or move to react as he left, and stayed floating on the water. This was honestly relaxing and he didn’t know why he didn’t do it sooner. 

He felt Dwight swim over to him, but stayed a few feet away. Jake looked over at him, mentally noting he would look a million times cuter with glasses. Merpeople didn’t need glasses though, right? How would that even work?

Jake remembered the rope burns. He didn’t like talking much, and was used to having to prepare himself before speaking, but he didn’t have to do that with Dwight. 

_ Do you want me to treat your rope burns? _

He watched as the merman’s eyes darted away, clearly shy. Jake sat up and swam to the edge, back to his medial supplies. He had a gel that should work in these cases. 

_ Why do you continue to help me? I owe you more than just my life. _

Jake pulled the jar out and looked at the merman. Honestly he felt like he wasn’t even, and that he still needed to do things to get on the playing field. 

_ You owe me nothing.  _

Dwight swam over to him, clearly not believing him. 

_ I’ve only given you a charm.  _

Jake rolled his eyes and opened the jar. He held it out to Dwight, who understood he would be doing it to himself. 

_ And do you know why what you’ve done isn’t just a charm? _

_..no. _

Jake decided to not let words do it, but memories. He thought back to the night after Dwight gave him the charm, and how that was the time he decided he would be a veterinarian. 

He was also completely putting the gel on incorrectly, so Jake got some of his own and placed it on a particularly deep one, and began to rub it in tiny circles until it vanished. 

Jake thought back to the dragon, and how he struck a deal with it. Even with the charm, he was nervous as hell. So many camera’s, people, and a gigantic black dragon that was heavily guarded. 

“Wait-“ Dwight spoke out loud which surprised Jake. “Are you talking about The Fog?”

He nodded and got more gel to continue helping Dwight as he started to do it correctly now. 

“I’ve heard about that! In passing, of course..” He muttered. “They say The Fog is heaven for mythical beasts, where no human can enter. If they do they are killed on the spot.”

Jake hummed, showing he was listening and to let Dwight know he wanted him to continue speaking. 

“Oh, uh. That’s about it.. no one from the Fog has really returned. Some have, but they don’t want to be recaptured.”

Jake nodded and closed the jar and put it back since they were done with it. He got out of the pool and walked over to a towel, feeling eyes on him. He glanced at Dwight to see him looking a bit sad. What did he even have to do today? Nothing, that was what. 

He grabbed a pool floaty, which was one he could lay down on, and plopped it in. Jake carefully got into it and used his foot to push off the edge. The merman swam over and held on with one arm on it, and his head resting on his arm. Whatever current the pool had slowly guided them around in comfortable silence. 

He already had a nap or two today, so he wasn’t tired, but it was relaxing here. The sun was making him warm, and there was only pure silence except the sounds of water. Jake felt sleep start to overcome him, and was half way there when he felt something cold gently grab his toe. 

He opened one eye to see Dwight staring at his feet in amazement, and began to move his toe. It was amusing to watch. Jake wiggled his toe, watching Dwight flinch back and let go. “Sorry I-“

“I don’t mind. Just don’t hurt my foot.” He shuffled, getting into a better position on the floaty. 

“Why are you so calm around me?”

“Mmn?” Jake questioned. Why? Well he was used to being around mythical beats more than people. He felt a lot more comfortable around them. Plus, on rare occasions, they would touch him curiously. The dragon was his first encounter with it, as it held him upside down the moment it was free and stretched his limbs to their limits. 

Another one was a centaur who could not stop petting his hair, and adoring his ‘tiny twig legs’. There were other times but those came to mind first. 

Dwight seemed interested in his thoughts, but looked back down at his feet and poked the middle of his arch. Jake’s leg bent up, moving away from the uncomfortable feeling from the weakest point in his foot. 

Of course Dwight had to poke his damn tickle spot. Jake never knew he had been ticklish until he saved some very different fae’s that knew exactly where he was ticklish. The bottom of his foot had been one such weakness. He hopes to never have to save more of those.

Dwight was giving him a goofy grin and rested his head on the floaty. “You’re ticklish?”

“S-shut up or I won’t let you admire my feet like a weirdo.”

“I’m not weird! I don’t know how you can function on those weird things.” Dwight huffed and looked away. Jake sat up on the floaty. “Sure, sure.” He tried not to think about the other merpeople he helped who were fixated on different things, like his webless hands, his overly soft and unruly hair, and especially his legs. Dwight looked smug. Jake huffed and crossed his arms. 

“So..” The merman stared, quickly changing the subject. “I’m the reason why you care about us? And you’re a veterinarian?”

Jake nodded. He reached up to fiddle with his necklace. “Without this- or having met you- I would absolutely not be where I am, or all those creatures I saved.” He felt a pang of guilt, knowing he couldn’t get Dwight to The Fog without raising multiple red flags on himself. 

Dwight stared at the necklace before slowly nodding. “So.. I helped you a lot more than just a silly charm?” Jake gave him a small nod and moved his legs to sit cris cross on the floaty. The merman crossed both of his arms on it now and rested his head on them to stare at the human. 

“I still owe you something.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “If you can find a way for me to help you escape from here without getting me suspicious, that would even us out.” 

Dwight pouted- which was adorable, Jake had to admit- and seemed to be torn between the few options he had. “Alright.”

A worker came out, looking frantic. “Mr. Jake!” Jake looked up at the worker. He loathed being referred to as Park of any kind. “The clinic needs you up there urgently!” 

Jake wobbled on the floaty to exit the swimming pool, but Dwight pushed it to the edge for him. “Ah- thanks.” He muttered quickly before rushing directly to his car, ignoring the fact he was still a bit wet and only wearing swimwear. 

Dwight watched him leave, trying to listen to every last thought he had before he was too far away. He sighed softly and slunk down under the water, going around the entirety of the pool a few times before sitting down at the deep end. 

This was.. good and bad. He was safe, and had food now, but he was bored. He wasn’t going to be alone anymore since Jake wanted to be his friend, but none of that would save him from this boredom. He laid down and closed his eyes to sleep. 

When he woke up, he had no idea what time it was. He swam up and saw the sun low in the horizon, so either late in the day or the early morning. He yawned and looked around, feeling hungry. Dwight heard the quiet thoughts of all the residences the mansion, and searched around until he heard the heavy and firm thoughts of the owner. 

Everything had their own thoughts, like voices. Jake’s was very calm and slow, like a gentle river, while his fathers was like he was screaming at someone, even inside his own head. He curiously listened to what he was thinking, mainly out of boredom. What else could he do?

He was angry at something Dwight didn’t understand since he rarely (before being captured) interacted with humans, but it was about money. He got bored and moved from person to person. While he could hear all of them at once, if he focused on one he could stay sane, like an anchor. 

Dwight didn’t know if he was pleased or upset to find Jake’s. He was silent- which meant he was asleep. Dwight leaned against the pool wall and sighed, looking down at his tail which was recovering at high speeds. He could tell it was the morning sun now, as the smaller of his rope burns were gone. 

He touched one of his broken fins and winced from the dull pain, but was glad to find they were healing as well. He was hungry though, and swam up to the surface. Maybe he could ask someone nicely? 

No.. Last time he suddenly spoke to someone that wasn’t Jake they panicked and ran off. It wasn’t a human, but the way Jake was shocked he spoke to him despite having dealt with hundreds of magical beings made him feel.. strange. 

Dwight knew from the moment he was born he was way different, and not in a good way. It was awful hearing everyones thoughts, good and bad. He could tell exactly who he could trust and who he couldn’t, but it was too overbearing to always hear nonstop chattering. He avoided anything with half of a brain for years. 

It felt like stalking, but he kept focusing on Jake’s thoughts. He could tell the man was about to wake up by the way his brain was slowly booting back up. A sudden rush of thoughts smacked Dwight, of panic, what was going on, and who was yelling at him. 

Jake’s father had bust into his room and was yelling at him about the merman. “We don’t have anything to put it in! It is ruining our pool!”

“When have I ever bought anything with your money? Let me have ONE thing!” Jake hated saying the merman was a ‘thing’, but he didn’t want to argue with his father about them right now. 

He just woke up, too, and knew he would be tired for the rest of the day. “But a merman? Why not a mermaid! Or anything not boring!”

Jake glared at him. “You gave me access to your money and now you’re yelling at me for buying one thing? I haven’t bought ANYTHING with your damn money before!”

“I know that!” His father hissed. “But you have to buy exotic or interesting things!”

“Fuck you. Do you want me to get rid of it? I’ll use my own damn money and make it the main display in your favorite room.”

His father glared at him. “Use my money wisely.” It was a threat. Jake flipped him off as he left and flopped on the bed. Maybe he could just piss his dad off enough to want Jake to get rid of Dwight. 

_ That could work.  _

Jake flinched at the sudden intrusion of Dwight’s voice in his head. He rubbed his face and got up to get ready. 

_ You were passed out when I got back. Are you alright? _

_ Yes! I swear. It’s just.. I haven’t slept that easy and fearless ever. _

Jake didn’t think back a reply, and tiredly brushed his teeth. He put on new clothes and headed downstairs to eat breakfast while checking his phone. 

He found a worker and stopped them. “Sorry to bother you, but can you get our new merman something to eat?” He slid them some cash and left without another word. 

Jake didn’t let anyone make his own food. They could get paid for it for all he cared, but he loved making his own. He felt like pancakes today, so he got he ingredients and a pan and began to make himself some of those fluffy sugary disks. 

He made an extra for Dwight to try, and flipped the last pancake as it browned. Nothing could ever beat making his own food from scratch. He turned the stove off and put some butter and syrup on his pancakes before going outside. 

Dwight had been silently listening to every thought he had since he woke up, and was eating some of the fish he was given earlier. Jake sat at the edge of the pool in boxers and an old t-shirt as he cut up some bites of food and ate them. 

Dwight finished his fish before looking at the extra pancake Jake brought that had nothing on it. The other handed it to him, and Dwight nervously took it. 

He took a bite, and was amazed. It was fluffy and sweet and warm. “I like these.” Jake hummed and finished his food , setting the plate aside before closing his eyes. He was tired and annoyed from earlier today. 

“I can get my dad to want to get rid of you.”

Dwight stared at Jake before smiling softly. “You’d do that for me?”

Jake shrugs. “I like saving magical beings. If I get you out I’m dragging your fish-ass to the Fog though.”

He hadn’t saved any water beings, actually. He knew there were other points in the world where they entered / exited from, so he could only assume some were underwater or in rivers. 

“How come all of the wild creatures don’t go into the Fog?”

“Well, they move randomly. One moment it may be here-“ Dwight motions to his left side. “And the next it may be here.” He motions to the right. “It’s random, but it helps since humans can’t find it.”

Jake nodded and bit his lip. His had never moved. It vanished from time to time, but it always returned to that spot in the woods he hiked in. 

“Well.” Jake said, standing up and grabbing his plate. “I’m off to go and attempt to piss father off enough to want to get rid of you.”

Dwight laughed softly and shoveled the rest of the pancake into his mouth. 

_ ‘Kay! Thank you, Jake.  _

Jake shrugged again and left to go put the plate in the sink, get ready, and go and piss his father off to no end. 


	3. The Fog

Jake had started by using his fathers money on purpose to buy and plan a massive terrarium for Dwight. Most likely big enough to comfortably fit a whale. The cost, Jake had no idea, but the water and filters alone would cost way more than Dwight was bought for each week alone. 

Dwight was just an average merman, and this type of care and expenses for him were that of if he was trying to comfortably care for a dragon. 

His father noticed the moment Jake started. 

“What? I just want my only pet to be comfortable.” Jake stared at his father while staring at paperwork for the design of the terrarium. 

“This is way too much. It would cost less to buy some of the ocean and block it off than this.”

“But then it isn’t on the property! I want to view it a lot. You may not see it but to me that merman is very pretty.”

His father had been red in the face. Jake continued this until he blew up. It was funny to see his father this angry, honestly.

“I will literally buy you any other exotic being that’s easier to care for if you just get rid of that thing!”

“Oh? So I can get my own ceberus?”

He knew he was being a thorn in his fathers side, but honestly he deserved it. Jake had finally won. To get to this point, it took months. During those months, multiple things happened. 

Dwight had really enjoyed the pool, as they almost never threw pool parties. Jake visited him at least once a day, and occasionally got in the pool. 

David came over often with Kiotun, and they slowly bonded until the cat fully trusted David. Jake had started to see David more as a friend than just someone he hung out with, especially when the man quietly admitted one day he felt bad for all the creatures in captivity. 

Jake told him he felt similar. From that point on, Jake had someone helping him free creatures. He refused to show David where the Fog was, but the man would get any creature he could and guide them to Jake, who would get them to the Fog. 

David still did not know about Dwight’s telepathic abilities, which was due to Dwight. Jake respected that and never brought it up, though David knew something was up since they seemed to always stare at one another and react to something before randomly talking about something from the middle of a conversation. They were like glue, though. 

David noticed how oddly close they were to one another. He knew Jake for years and only recently started to get very close to him, but Dwight was on another level. Jake was almost inseparable from the merman, or always talked about him. 

Jake had saved many more creatures with the help of David, though. Jake told his plan with Dwight, but that day finally came where his father snapped. He texted David quickly to come over. 

He had been planning a bit too long for this day, but his father said to get rid of the merman as soon as possible, and he would. Jake hated this.. heavy feeling in his heart. He rarely felt strong negative emotions due to his charm, but this was different. 

Jake knew he was going to miss Dwight once he got the other into the Fog, but there he would happy and safe, right? He walked down to the backyard and sat at the edge of the pool. 

Dwight swam up in front of him and smiled brightly at him. “I heard what happened. Am I really going into the Fog?”

Jake nodded and ruffled Dwight’s hair. They had been planning this for a long time, so it was exciting. “Yup. When you get in there can help all the new creatures I help get in there?” Jake asked quietly. He wondered how many were in that realm, but assumed it was a lot. 

Dwight nodded, and Jake could tell he was a bit sad. He rolled up his pants and stuck his legs in the pool. “Merpeople live to like, 150 right?” Dwight didn’t reply, since Jake well knew that answer. “I don’t live as long as you, so even if you stayed here for me, I’d die long before you.”

Dwight crossed his arms. “I just remembered I’ve never told you my age!” The topic had never come up before. Jake hummed and shrugged. “Don’t care. It just means you’re younger than me.”

“Wh- no! I’m not!!” Dwight turned red and huffed. He swallowed a bit and looked up at him. Both of them knew this was probably their last conversation. Jake ignored the weight in his heart. Dwight was very well his first friend, or someone he truly considered one. It hurt to know he was about to lose him, even if it was the best for him. 

Even if he wanted to stay now, it was too late. His father wanted Dwight out, and now. Jake grabbed the shell charm and sighed softly. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.” Dwight admitted quietly. 

Jake reached into his pocket and pulled out something. “Close your eyes.” Dwight did so without questioning, and held out his hands. Jake placed the gift into his palm and stared at his reaction. 

It was a shell necklace, but obviously not enchanted. “I, uh, you’re my friend. And I care about you.” Jake felt himself blushing. “I wanted to get you something.”

Dwight held it in his hands and flipped it around, admiring it. “Jake, I love it.” He slid it on and had a goofy grin on his face. “Thank you.”

Jake scratched the back of his head and looked away, trying not to blush harder than he already was. 

“HEYYYYYY!” David ran over, Kiotun on his shoulders. “Who’s ready to goooo.” The loud man crouched beside Jake and nudged him. He smiled wide. “This is exciting, eh?” David looked at Dwight. “You get ta be free!”

Jake could feel sad later. He nodded and got up, glancing at the mansion. It was around 8:00, and the sun was starting to set. The Fog most likely showed up at night time, and rarely during the day. 

David had brought a wagon and a huge plastic bag that he was going to fill with water and secure around Dwight’s tail. The merman was nervous, safe to say. 

They had to be quick though, since his father expected Jake to sell him off instead of kidnap his own merman and haul him off manually to an unknown place. 

Jake and David helped Dwight into the bag, making sure it was full of water and secure. Jake was worried for Dwight, honestly. It didn’t take much for mermen to dry out. David and him picked him up and put him on the wagon. 

“This is really weird.” Jake admitted. David nodded and chuckled. “What else should we have done?” He had a point. Jake looked at Dwight and smiled softly at him. “We will get you to the Fog, don’t worry.”

Dwight nodded and held onto the wagon, nervous he would fall off. Jake stared at him before looking up at David and pushing the wagon from the back as his friend did the front. 

“You think you can get him to where ya never let me go?”

“Yeah.. maybe.” Jake mumbled as they got Dwight into the truck. Jake climbed into the back with him and checked the bag. No leaks. 

David whooped as he revved the car up and drove off, making Jake smack into the side of the truck and hold on for dear life. Of course David would do this. 

It wasn’t that far of a drive to the woods, but it felt like forever. He was just staring at Dwight, who looked nervous, terrified, uncomfortable, and happy all at once. Jake smiled at him softly. “I’m pretty sure theres other merpeople there. You’ll make friends.” He reached over and squeezed his hand softly. 

Dwight stared at him without replying for a while before squeezing his hand back. “Thank you. For everything.”

Jake nodded and glanced over the top part of Dwight, mentally noting his gills and webbed fingers were already drying out. He would make it and be fine, but it would be slightly painful. He hoped it wouldn’t be too severe though. 

David stopped the car at the edge of the woods and hopped out. “Lets goooo!” He shouted excitedly. Jake rolled his eyes and got down, getting the wagon back out. “Can you be any louder?”

David chuckled and helped Dwight back into the wagon, pulling it into the woods. The path was bumpy and uneven, and a normal five minute walk turned into fifteen. 

Jake took this time to get one last look at Dwight as he pushed. His muscles were starting to ache, but he ignored it. Dwight was now nervous and guilty. “I-i’m sorry for the hassle!”

“Don’t be! We enjoy doing this! Didn’t we tell ya we do it a lot?” David said happily, stopping beside a rock. “Alright pipsqueak-“ Jake glared at him. “-good luck!”

He sighed and waked to the front of the wagon and began to pull Dwight away. “Bye Dwight!” David said with a big smile and waving at him. Dwight blushed madly and shyly waved back until he was out of sight. 

It was just him and Jake now, and Jake was using all of his strength to haul him towards the area he knew where the Fog was. “Jake.” Dwight spoke up. 

_ What? _

It was too much effort to speak right now. Jake leaned against a tree to take a breath and looked at Dwight tiredly. 

“How far away is it from here?”

_‘Bout 200 feet.._ Jake’s thoughts were a bit sluggish from the exercise he was getting. “Do- do you think it would be easier to drain the w-water?”

Jake glanced at the bag, which still didn’t have a leak. “It would be easier.” He pushed off the tree and grabbed the front again, and began to pull Dwight once more. The merman squeaked from the sudden action, having expected Jake to drain the water. 

Dwight felt awful. Jake had done so much for him, and still was. He felt guilty and obligated to do something to help. He inhaled and slashed the bag. 

“What the hell, Dwight!” Jake nearly dropped the wagon, but that would only waste time. His mind was racing now. Dwight could easily dry up, but it was a lot easier than before with the water not weighing down as much. 

He began to pull Dwight a bit quicker towards the Fog. It felt like a timer was going off, though. Mentally, he knew how long they could last without water, which was roughly ten minutes. He couldn’t get there in time. 

“New plan.” He dropped the wagon and turned around, offering his arms out. He was going to give Dwight a piggy back ride like he had months prior when he was nearly sick. Dwight blushed madly, and was going to refuse, but every single thought from Jake was firm and heavy.It meant he couldn’t convince Jake otherwise. 

Dwight hooked onto him and held on, feeling a bit weird as he was lifted out of the wagon and half dragged to the Fog. He looked over Jake’s shoulder to see a faint, black mist.

_Oh shit._ Dwight heard Jake think to himself. _I’m going to have to go in there to get Dwight there.._

“I-i can crawl!”

_ Fuck that.  _

Jake was determined to make sure he would not do something like that. He had never gone near the mist. For all he knew it could kill him, or he would just pass through it like normal mist. 

“No matter what happens-“ Jake shuffled Dwight to hold onto him better. “You make friends.”

Dwight blushed for what seemed to be the millionth time and shyly nodded. He tensed up as Jake walked into the black mist, and that was the last thing Jake felt. 

He looked around, the weight was suddenly gone. Dwight had vanished. Jake walked forward, but it was nothing but fog. He turned around to walk back, only to be met with sunlight, green grass, and a fae flying around his head. 

Was he in the Fog? Wait. 

“Dwight!” Jake quickly looked around. If he was in here, so was Dwight. He had to get him to water, and take off the bag. 

Ugh! He was so stupid. He didn’t take off the bag earlier. Jake looked around, because maybe he dropped him? Somehow? A fae landed on his head, and it freaked him out he could hear it.

“What are you?”

It was such an odd question. “Uhm.. what?” No! He had to focus. Dwight. Jake shook his head gently, making it fly off of him. “Have you seen a merman? I brought him here! He should have been with me!”

“Oh! Things like that don’t work around here!” The fae giggled and flew around his head. 

“What do you mean?”

“Time is strange here! It doesn’t work like the outside world. You can enter with a group of beings, but enter at different time points! One could end up entering hundreds of years before the others!”

Fucking fantastic. At least that meant Dwight was here, somewhere, at some time.

“So.. either he is here now, or will be here later?”

“Yep! What are you? I’ve never seen your kind before!”

“Oh I’m- uh.. I’m a human.”

The fae stopped flying around him and instantly flew away. Jake sighed softly to himself. He didn’t blame the strange fae for bolting, humans were awful. Jake looked around, wondering how he could get back home. 

He seemed to be in the middle of a forest, with no Fog in sight. Ah. This was interesting. If what the fae said was true, could he leave but be teleported years in the future, or something?

Jake walked around the area he came from, both looking for Dwight and an exit. He didn’t feel safe going any farther. From what the fae did, he knew that humans were not allowed here. 

He felt something staring at him, and quickly ducked behind a tree as an arrow stabbed right into it. 

Shit. 

“Come out, human! We know you are there!” It sounded human, so most likely a centaur. He was dead. 

“I don’t know how I got here. I just want to leave.” Jake said from behind the tree, glancing to his left to see other centaurs slowly circling him. It was stupid to run, so he walked out from the tree and held his hands up. “Can I just leave?”

Without a word, he felt something stab into him. Jake looked down to see a dart. Ah. A Tranquilizer. He quickly wobbled, his brain already shutting down, and blacked out. 

Jake could hear muffled talking, but the words didn’t make sense to him. Thinking felt like treading through mud, and he was already tired. He vaguely noted he was tied up by the wrists and ankles before falling asleep again. 

He woke up to pain the next time. Something had whacked him awake, and every bit of him was now hyper aware. 

Jake sat up and pulled his legs up, looking around to see centaurs around him in a circle, all angry and with weapons drawn and ready to attack him. He made himself as small as possible, trying to look weaker than he already was. 

They were all talking before suddenly going quiet as a heavy presence slowly came over Jake. 

“ **Oh**.” The thing said, loud and booming. He knew that voice. “ **Its you**.”

Jake looked up to see a familiar black dragon staring down at him with a wicked smile. “I just want to leave.”

The dragon tilted its head to the side and hummed, rattling his brain. Jake knew the last time he encountered the dragon it was far, far weaker. Now, he knew it was probably on a level of a god. He didn’t want to know how it got this powerful.

It grabbed him with its talons, nails so sharp it was already shredding his jacket. He couldn’t prepare himself for the sudden weightlessness and pressure of being hauled somewhere. Everything was happening way too fast for his brain to follow. 

He was still worried about Dwight. Jake was dropped on the floor of something flat and hard, but he couldn’t tell what was up or down. He was dizzy, and probably still drugged out of his mind. He stayed on the floor without moving, but his mind told him he had a lot of creatures were watching him right now. 

Jake opened one eye tiredly to see he was in a circle of sorts, with different magical beings staring at him from afar. Some had anger or rage while others looked curious, weary, and shocked. He closed his eyes tightly and grit his teeth. Was he going to be publicly executed? He didn’t want to die. 

“ **Human**.” The dragon spoke loudly. “ **Your kind are not allowed in this realm, yet you have appeared here**.”

Jake had to take a moment to process the words. He just wanted to sleep. 

“ **But we can not free you either**.”

Just as he expected. Couldn’t leave, couldn’t stay. Only one option. He sat up slowly and looked up at the Entity. “Alright well can you at least not kill me in front of these creatures?”

It’s smile grew. “ **I was planning on doing far worse. You seem to have one condition though**.”

He didn’t question how the dragon knew, but it was probably because he was so used to humans. “Where is Dwight?”

The smile suddenly vanished. The Entity looked at Jake confused, and a bit surprised. The silence hurt so much he had to look around at the beings to make sure he wasn’t alone. 

Hushed whispers spread among the crowd. Jake was so confused, and sighed. “Why can’t you just let me go? You of all creatures know what I do.” He made a jab at being a veterinarian and bringing hundreds of creatures here. 

It walked over to him, clearly angry. It glared at him and lowered itself to eye level with him. “ **Humans are not allowed here, yet here you are**.” It repeated. 

Jake opened his mouth to speak, but found his voice was gone. A new kind of terror filled him to the core from being unable to defend himself. He kept trying to talk, but it felt like something was silencing him. 

The dragon’s eyes flicked down to his necklace. “ **You even have a charm**.” No. No. It was going to take it off. Jake moved away from the dragon, scared. Jake hadn’t taken off his charm since he got it. It reached out and nicked the charm off with its talon, a sickening smile returning once it saw Jake begin to really panic. 

Years of worry, dread, and panic began to drown Jake. He clenched his fists and bit his tongue, feeling tears burning his eyes already. Why? Why was it doing this? Why couldn’t it just let him go?

Jake was shaking. He was being made fun of in front of these creatures. He was no human doctor, but he did understand some things. Right now he was having a panic attack, but couldn’t do anything about it. 

“ **Look**.” The dragon purred. “ **Humans in the other world enslaved us to be stronger because they are weak**.” It grabbed Jake’s shirt and lifted him up, making him choke. 

At this point, Jake would take death over this. He was overloaded with emotions, still tired from getting Dwight here, and now he didn’t have his charm. 

He felt his heart squeezing from the emotional pain he was bearing. Jake knew that at least one creature in this crowd he had saved. Did they not recognize him? Did they not care? 

Jake couldn’t focus on what the dragon was saying, but knew it was more ridicule. He was placed somewhere, but he didn’t care where. He just wrapped his arms around his legs and buried his head in his knees, still tied up and voiceless. 

The sounds around him were deafening, but he knew it as yelling. The beings were clearly angry at humans, but why him? Jake sobbed into his legs and clenched his eyes closed. What had he done wrong? Why was the dragon doing this? 

He didn’t know how long he sat there in his own thoughts, trying to calm himself down from his emotions the charm had blocked out for years. 

_ Jake? _

He tensed up and hugged his legs tightly, refusing to let Dwight see him so weak. He was overloaded with emotions, and tried to slow his thoughts down enough. It must be hell here for Dwight right now with so many people around. He was happy he got here alright. 

_ Are you ok? A fae told me we get here at different times and you weren’t there.  _

He had to worry about Dwight. That was the reason he was here, anyway. Jake wiped his face carefully and looked up to try to spot Dwight. It was the first time he was getting a good look at where he was. 

He was in some kind of meeting area, where places where each kinds of creature could sit and discuss things. There was snow for arctic creatures, water for aquatic, and so on. He spotted Dwight staring at him in pure worry from the water. 

_ Me? You’re asking me if I’m ok while you’re being humiliated in a cage? _

Jake looked at the ground and squeezed his legs. 

_ Yes.  _

Dwight sighed loudly in his head and didn’t say anything more. There were creatures standing around his cage and staring at him in shock and curiosity. He looked at them, and saw the dragon walking around behind the creatures. 

Jake looked back at the ground. A pixie landed in front of him and waved to get his attention. He looked at it before scooting away from the tiny thing. 

To his shock, he could understand it. It must be something in this realm that caused him to understand creatures he couldn’t before. 

“You’re the one who saved me, right?” It had such a soft voice. Jake shrugged. He couldn’t speak still, so he couldn’t answer with words.

“I would never forget your fluffy hair!” It flew up to his shoulder and grabbed a strand. He inhaled slowly and closed his eyes. Everything around the cage was staring at him and it was extremely uncomfortable. 

It grabbed his ear and yanked him towards her. “Hey! Can you hear me?” Jake nodded once and looked at the pixie he could hardly feel on his shoulder. 

“How did you get here?”

Jake sat up a bit and tried to speak but couldn’t. He rubbed his neck and grimaced, annoyed his voice was stolen. 

Suddenly, the dragon came over and picked the cage up with minimal effort. The pixie yelped and flew out. Jake grabbed onto a bar as best as he could with bindings as he was set down beside the water. 

Jake hit the wall hard and grit his teeth, glaring daggers at the dragon. 

“ **And you said you know this human**?” The dragon spoke to something. Jake looked to where he was looking, and it was at Dwight. 

“Yes! He had to drag me here. That’s why he’s here!” Dwight defended him. 

“ **I don’t care. He set the rules. No humans. He is a human, he counts, saving you or not**.”

Dwight looked angry. Angrier than Jake had ever seen him before. He laid his head against the bars and looked away, out at the crowd. 

He felt something’s face pressed into the bars right behind his head, and snorted deeply. It was warm and huge. Jake whipped around to see a Chimera staring down at him. 

Jake backed away to the other side of the cage, staring at it in fear. It looked like it wanted to eat him, and chewed on the bars. 

He flinched when he felt a human hand grab an arm and lift it up. Jake yanked away and crawled to the middle of the cell, shaking now. He was surrounded by things that wanted to either kill or touch him. 

“ **What**!?” He heard the dragon bellow out loudly. Jake flinched and covered his ears. Was he about to die? He looked up to see multiple creatures all talking to the Entity and looking over at Jake. 

“ **QUIET**!” The black dragon hissed. The room instantly went dead silent except for some awkward shuffles. Jake watched in horror as the cage was opened, and he was picked up and held out. 

“ **Who all has SEEN this human**?” He was being squeezed too hard, and struggled. The dragon clearly didn’t know its own strength. 

He looked down to see every single eye on him, which made his heart drop to his stomach. There was a lot of chatter, so much he couldn’t focus on one thing. 

_ Calm down! It will be ok. _

_ Dwight? Fuck. What is going on? _

_ I’m handling it- _

Jake was suddenly set down as the dragon paced around angrily. He coughed hard and wrapped his arm around his chest, wincing. He definitely was getting some brand new bruises. 

He felt the Chimera from earlier sit behind him, and the snake tail curl around him weakly. Jake yelped and moved to stand up, but a large paw was placed on his shoulder. 

He tensed up and closed his eyes, shaking uncontrollably. Fuck. If he had his charm he wouldn’t be panicking, or crying, or scared. The lion rested it’s head on his own and made a deep grumble. 

Was this his father’s Chimera from years ago? Jake swallowed thickly and opened his eyes to see the snake around him staring at him. 

He wanted to speak, but once again was unable. Jake shut his mouth and looked around for Dwight, spotting the man a bit of ways talking to the dragon with other beings. He stared at them all talking about something, trying to focus on something to get his mind to calm down. 

Jake gripped his chest and choked out a sob. He couldn’t contain his emotions anymore. He needed the charm. He needed to calm down and think straight. To listen to what they were talking about. 

The Chimera made a noise and picked him up like a cub, which was by his shirt. He was one again choked, and tensed up as the beast carried him to the creatures talking to the dragon. 

Jake coughed when he was set down and rubbed his face, trying to get rid of his tears. He wasn’t weak. He wasn’t! Everything was too overwhelming. 

The dragon leaned down snd stared at him with a suspicious glare. “ **Speak the truth and only the truth. If you say a lie your voice is gone forever**.”

Jake felt the strangled hold on his neck suddenly vanish. He nodded and rubbed his neck, looking up towards the Entity. 

“ **After you created your deal with me, did you begin guiding creatures to the Fog**?”

“Y..yes.” Jake said quietly. 

“ **How many**?”

“I don’t know.”

The dragon’s tongue flicked out, clearly annoyed. “ **You don’t know?** ”

“I-i think over a thousand? I’m not sure.” He didn’t even know what it wanted. Jake glanced at Dwight, and felt himself relax a bit. The merman was not worried in the slightest. This.. must be good then. Whatever this was. 

“ **Did you come here willingly**?”

Jake stared at the dragon and rubbed his hands. “I had to. I carried a merman here. He couldn’t get to the fog by himself on land.”

It snorted hard and sat up. “ **You are once again a rare exception, Jake Park**.” The dragon said lowly. “ **If you were any other human, I would have killed you on the spot. I will let you live, once again**.”

Jake relaxed and bowed his head in respect towards the beast. What would happen now? He looked towards Dwight, and the dragon spoke up again. 

“ **However, I can not return you home. I was going to kill you, but so many creatures**..” The dragon trailed off, looking around. “ **Do not want you to die**.”

Jake stared at the dragon, before looking behind him at the Chimera. It licked his hair once and made a huffing noise. “Am I allowed to live here then?”

“ **Yes, under a few conditions**.”

Of course. Jake gripped his hands and sighed. What other choice did he have in this situation?

“ **If a creature is wounded, you will heal it. You will not try to escape this world. You will not harm anything here**.”

Jake nodded, and felt the bindings on his wrists and ankles fall off, watching them vanish slowly. 

“I accept the conditions.” Jake rubbed his wrists and attempted to shuffle away from the Chimera. The dragon made an annoyed huff and walked off somewhere. The beast beside him let go of him, and he quickly got up and ran towards the water. Around him, creatures stared in curiosity at the human. 

Dwight swam to the edge and looked at Jake with an expression he could not pin point. He sat at the side and teared up, unable to hold back his emotions again. There was so much going on that Jake could not handle. 

The merman grabbed his hand and squeezed it softly. “Are you okay?” He asked quietly. Jake shook his head as a hundred questions buzzed around in his head. He could hardly think straight, and everything hurt. 

Dwight was talking, but he couldn’t make out what he was saying. Jake closed his eyes and turned his head away, not wanting to be seen as weak despite Dwight having seen everything prior. 

He felt a weight being lifted off of him almost instantly, and the onslaught of negative emotions vanished. Jake wiped his tears away, feeling the hot sting, and looking down at Dwight. He had fixed the necklace and slipped it around his neck. 

Jake reached up and gently grabbed his wrists. It was an odd feeling to go from unable to gather a strand of sane thoughts to being himself again. “Dwight..” His voice was hoarse. 

Dwight’s eyes flicked down to his hands, and back up to his face. He had a worried expression that was fading into joy. 

“I think you just got even with me.” Jake chuckled out weakly, feeling his throat become raw from the earlier crying. 

Dwight smiled softly and chuckled. “I think your right.” He glanced around at the creatures staring at them and muttering among themselves, trying to figure out what was going on and why the two were so friendly. 

_ I’ll answer your questions in a bit. Lets go somewhere where other beings can’t bother us. _

Jake blushed faintly at his words, knowing what he meant but he could easily interpret it differently. Jake stood up slowly and looked around, noting how many eyes he had on him. 

_ Do I have to swim? _

This made Dwight snort softly. Jake rubbed his arm slowly and walked along the river. It was quiet in his head now. He looked down at the charm and gently touched it. 

It was strange to try to understand that without this he would probably be overwhelmed with stress. Jake could handle anything physical, or challenges, but stress? The overwhelming loom of if he didn’t study he would fail his father? Knowing no matter what he did, his father would never be satisfied with what he did?

These thoughts didn’t bother him anymore, but he knew without wearing this necklace, those thoughts and hundreds of others would consume him. 

Jake sighed softly to himself and looked at the river to see Dwight swimming alongside him, most likely reading his thoughts. 

It didn’t bother him though. He stared at the ground and walked along the grass, adding up the questions he wanted to ask Dwight. He clearly had been here more than one month. 

“Get in.” Dwight spoke suddenly, cutting the silence. Jake ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “If it’s ice cold I am kicking your ass.” He carefully walked down towards the water. Should he take off his clothes? 

He yelped when Dwight suddenly yanked him into the river, fully clothed and all. Jake felt heavy and weighed down by everything, but the river was slow and gentle. On the upside, it wasn’t that cold either. 

Dwight didn’t let go of his wrist as he practically dragged Jake down the river with a goofy grin on his face. He focused on keeping his head above water, since Dwight seemed to forget that he did, in fact, need air. 

Dwight guided him somewhere, weaving through the water and going down different branches of the river until he stopped. Jake felt rocks under his boots and moved to stand up, looking around. 

It was silent here. Only the wind and distant noises could be heard here. It reminded Jake of the times he would hike or canoe to relax. 

He was also in the middle of the ocean. He didn’t know how they went from rivers and deep forest to a sudden ocean with no land in sight, but Jake didn’t want to question that right now. He looked down to see he was indeed standing on a rock, but that was it. Just a rock, with void underneath it. 

“Uh-“

“Oh! Uhm, don’t worry about that right now.” Dwight quickly said, chalking it up. “I forgot about- that you needed air.” The merman admitted. 

Jake rolled his eyes, already knowing he forgot that one small detail. His throat still felt raw, so he retorted to speaking to Dwight through thoughts. 

_ How long have you been here? _

Dwight looked nervous and avoiding looking into his eyes. Was it hundreds of years?

_ Longer.  _

Jake stared at him blankly, before running a hand through his wet hair. Longer? He had been here longer than a hundred years?

“I- uh. How do I explain this.” Dwight muttered to himself. “The Fog is really bad with time. Lots of creatures that enter at one point come in at a different. Like..” Dwight finally looked at him with a nervous smile. “Us for example. You carried me in, which we were literally touching, but I came in probably a thousand years ago?” The merman shrugged nonchalantly. “This realm hardly changes.”

Jake rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to comprehend this. 

_ So, you’re telling me you got here a thousand years ago?  _

“Yeah, haha..” Dwight said nervously. “For me it’s been a really, really long time since I’ve seen you.” The merman swam around him before settling on his left side. 

Jake moved to sit down, and was slightly amazed to find the rock propping him up already. 

_ So what was all that about earlier? _

“No human has come in here. I was one of the first to enter this realm, and we started up a meeting place to discuss things all creatures needed to be happy here, I guess? I told Entity about you and that you may show up. It said you’d be the only exception, but what also helped was the fact you saved a lot of creatures! Like uh, most are offspring.” Dwight blushed softly. “They have never been to the outside world or have seen a human.”

Jake nodded softly, showing he was listening. He looked around, still seeing nothing but ocean and void. He could tell death didn’t happen here, seeing as Dwight looked exactly the same from being here so long. 

_ And what about you? Are you okay? I told you to make friends just before we went in.. plus, you were in that room with a lot of creatures, probably all thinking.. _

Dwight smiled a bit from Jake’s worrying and swam in front of him. “Yeah! I’m fine. I uh, I’ve been here so long that I’ve figured out how to ignore others minds.” 

Jake wasn’t stupid. He was avoiding the other question. Dwight sighed and looked away. “I tried. I told you I don’t exactly click with anyone.” His hand reached up to grab at the necklace Jake gave him.

He felt a strange pang of happiness to see that despite existing here for thousands of years, Dwight kept the necklace. 

_ So about dying? I won’t die here? _

“I’m pretty sure you won’t. If I remember correctly you always did random stuff to get yourself in trouble, though.”

_ As if! _

“Really? I remember you getting your father pissed for months.”

_That was for you. It doesn’t count._ Jake crossed his arms, staring at the merman. 

“Ok, what about the time David dared you to belly flop into the pool? I had to drag you out!” Memories of the familiar tingle of belly flopping resurfaced as if it just happened. 

_ That was a dare. _

“And what about the time you were chasing after Kiotun, trying to get your food back, and you slipped?”

Jake could feel his face heating up. He could not believe Dwight remembered these things!

_ Ok! I get it. Spare me of more embarrassment. _

Dwight chuckled softly and looked up at him. “Sorry if I sound weird for saying this, but I really missed you.” 

Jake would have. In a weird way, he was very glad he was not the one to have ended up here thousands of years before Dwight. 

_ Do you have a home somewhere? _

The merman nodded. “Yes. Under you.”

Jake looked down to see void. Even if he couldn’t die, that was scary as hell. Plus, he couldn’t breath underwater. 

_ I will stay up here, thank you very much. _

“Even if you can’t die?”

_ I can still feel like I’m drowning.  _

Dwight hummed, taking that into consideration. His eyes kept flicking up to his hair. It was distracting how obvious it was that he wanted to touch it. 

_ Just touch it. You’re making it weird.  _

“Wh- what!?” Dwight blushed from embarrassment. Being called out like that was something he was not used to. “I uh, I didn’t-“

Jake pushed off the rock and splashed the merman. This didn’t effect him, but it shut him up. 

_Do you need to eat or sleep?_ Jake dropped the subject. Dwight looked at Jake up and down, clearly conflicted over something. 

“No, but it’s nice to..” There was a long pause. “Do you want to go back to shore?”

_ Yeah. I don’t favor being above the depths of the ocean too much right now. _

This made the worried man smile a bit and gently grab his wrist. Jake moved his hand until he intertwined his fingers with Dwights to hold his. He swore he saw the other blush from his gesture. 

Jake attempted to swim to not be dead weight, but it didn’t do much. Even if he had seen and dealt with many merpeople before, watching them swim was mesmerizing. 

Dwight stopped, but didn’t let go of his hand. Jake looked up to his face before realizing he was back at a river, and near the shore. 

_ Can you stay? _

Jake didn’t want to be alone, but also didn’t want to admit it to Dwight. He swam to shore, sitting on the beach and taking his boots off. Water spilled out of them, and he sighed. Jake took off everything until he was down to his shirt and boxers and laid them out to dry off. He felt better now that his clothes weren’t weighing him down. 

He walked out into the river and sat down where it was up to his middle. Dwight took the hint and swam up beside him, sitting down near him. 

Jake knew he couldn’t leave. Really, he didn’t want to. What did he have back in the other world, other than saving creatures still? He wouldn’t consider himself happy. 

He looked out at the ocean, then towards Dwight, who was smiling at him. The months prior he had really grown close to the other. Jake actually felt happy around him. 

“Jake.” Dwight said nervously. “Are you happy with me? Really?”

Jake nodded softly and closed his eyes, focusing on the sounds of the waves and wind. What was this about? Was he self conscious? He looked back over Dwight, glancing over his form. Really, there was nothing to be worried about. Dwight was lean, but fit. Very cute and sweet. Nothing wrong with him, truly.

Dwight slowly turned red. Jake stared at him, knowing he could hear his thoughts on him checking him out. 

“Y-you think I’m cute?” Dwight asked nervously. 

Definitely. Do you think you are not?

“No one.. has said that to me. Or have come up to me.. or has c-checked me out.”

Jake snorted softly. _I’m sure they have. David checked you out many times and tried to flirt with you. You didn’t notice any of it. You were so oblivious it was funny._

Dwight splashed Jake and looked away. Jake smiled a bit and wiped the water from his face. He could see his ears and neck become red from his blushing. Jake grabbed his hand and squeezed it. 

_ Stop being embarrassed. I think you’re cute, just accept it.  _

_ Do you like me? _

The question was in his head, and it held a new weight to it. It meant something more than just a simple question. 

Jake shuffled and sat up, looking across the river at nothing in particular. 

_ Maybe I do like you like that. I don’t know myself. I definitely don’t view you as a friend, but I’m new to anything relationship wise.  _

Dwight was looking at him now, proceeding his words. He opened and closed his mouth, trying to find the words, but went back to his thoughts. 

”I have not don’t anything at all.. Would you want to try?”

Jake let go of his hand and reached up, cupping Dwight’s face with one hand. 

_ If you’re ok with it. I’d need to take it slow, though.  _

The merman smiled softly and leaned against his hand. “We aren’t in a rush.”

Jake rolled his eyes once more. He was such a dork it hurt, but it was so cute. 

_ May I kiss you? _

Dwight didn’t reply for a long beat, before stiffly nodding. Jake kept his hand on his cheek and leaned over, pushing his lips to Dwights slowly. It was like nothing he had imagined. 

_ Your lips are chapped as hell.  _

Dwight pulled away with a red face and stuttering out noises, unable to form a sentence. Jake chuckled, pulling the merman back towards him and kissing him again. This calmed the other, and he slowly closed his eyes before awkwardly kissing back. 

Neither of them knew how to properly kiss, but despite that they both enjoyed it. Jake leaned against Dwight’s shoulder and held his hand once more while the other slowly rubbed his thumb across his knuckles in a loving way. 

Jake knew this was what he wanted in life now. A world with Dwight, and he had it. He was finally happy. To think that saving Dwight those years ago led to this moment, where they kept helping one another? Jake closed his eyes and smiled on his new boyfriend. He wouldn’t have it any other way. 


End file.
